1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to reading improvement, particularly to a machine for pacing reading speed via mechanical or electronic means in order to effect improvement in reading speed and facility.
2. Description of Prior Art
Heretofore various devices have been proposed to test and improve reading speed and ability. One such device comprised a tachistoscope, i.e., a device for projecting transient images onto a screen to test or improve visual acuity. While this and similar devices are somewhat effective, they required awkward and expensive projection equipment which is not suited to the everyday user and of course is not portable. In addition their ability to improve reading speed was quite limited. As a result, these devices have been largely unsuccessful. Various types of controlled reading devices which unveil or illuminate portions of a line at times have also been proposed, but these were awkward, non-portable, expensive, and only effected limited reading improvement.
One of the more successful reading improvement methods has been the so called "speed-reading courses" wherein students are taught, by an instructor, to improve reading speed by moving their own finger or fingers across the lines of a printed page in sequence and forcing themselves to follow the "manual pointer" so as to effect an improvement in reading speed. While somewhat successful, this method of reading improvement is disadvantageous in that it requires the reader to constantly move his or her fingers across and down the printed page, which is physically awkward, tiring, and undesirable because it does not provide any means of quantifying the reading speed and since the reader must learn to "push" beyond an accustomed present reading speed by moving his or her fingers faster than a comfortable pace. Another disadvantage is that the reader's fingers are often soiled by ink from the newspaper or other printed page.
Accordingly several objects of the present invention are to provide a new and improved reading pacer, to provide a reading pacer which is portable, economical, and reliable, to provide a reading pacer which provides a means of quantifying reading speed; to provide a reading pacer which does not require awkward manual manipulation; and to provide a reading pacer in which the reader's hands are not soiled by ink from the printed page. Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the ensuing description thereof.